The invention relates to strollers, shopping and utility carts, as well as any wheeled apparatus intended for transporting people, animals, or other loads. More specifically, the invention comprises a wheeled stroller that is convertible to a shopping cart and can be collapsed and folded down to a very compact and portable size.
Strollers are one of the most common and popular ways of transporting small children. There have been many improvements and refinements in their design over the years, but there is still one significant problem that has not been adequately addressed. Even the most lightweight and so called “compact” stroller does not collapse or fold down to a size that makes it easily portable (e.g. small enough to fit in a handbag or pocket). The typical stroller available in the market today is very useful when transporting a child but when the child is removed from the stroller (e.g. at an airport, or to walk down stairs) the stroller then becomes a very cumbersome piece of equipment.
The same problem exists when it comes to folding and collapsible shopping carts (sometimes referred to as utility carts). They are very helpful when in use but become cumbersome and unwieldy once they are emptied or not in use. It would be ideal to have a device with the same utility as these carts and strollers but that can neatly fit into a bag or pocket when not in use. When the user does not have to be concerned about dragging an empty shopping a cart around busy streets or maneuvering a large stroller on a bus or a train the user will likely use the cart or stroller more frequently. In fact, they may elect to keep the cart or stroller with them as a matter of routine. This means greater convenience for the user as they will have the utility of the cart or stroller available to them not just for planned use but also when there is an unanticipated need for a cart or stroller.
In the case of a stroller another drawback of the products available to consumers is their short period of usefulness. Strollers can be very expensive and each child will likely only make use of a stroller for a few short years. After this time, the stroller no longer serves any purpose. It would be preferable to have a stroller that could easily and interchangeably be converted into a shopping or utility cart.